Sharjah: Ahead of the 39th annual Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) has welcomed publishing professionals worldwide to take advantage of its ‘Meet the Emirati Publishers’ networking project by scheduling one-to-one meetings with local industry players at the fair or exploring partnerships virtually.
Through the project, EPA provides select member publishers with a free guaranteed space or stand at book fairs EPA participates in, and contact numbers of the entities scheduled to attend matchmaking events, including a catalogue of publishing and translation rights of the publishers they are meeting with. Interested publishers and industry professionals can reach out to 185 of EPA’s member publishers to discuss possible collaborations on translation projects or the buying and selling of rights by scheduling in-person meetings on the fairgrounds at Expo Centre Sharjah from November 4 to 14 directly through the link https://www.epa.org.ae/EPA-Members.aspx. The same link can be used to book virtual meetings with participating Emirati publishers.
EPA executive director Rashid Al Kous said: “Through this strategic networking platform, EPA aims to expand the global reach of its member publishers. We also want to effectively promote the translation of Arabic titles into other languages by enabling our members to meet with prospective international counterparts. The project has enabled its beneficiaries to discuss strategic business partnerships with global players at local, regional and international book fairs and prestigious cultural events. More importantly, the project has guided publishers to make the most of translation grants available at home and abroad and enabled them to capitalise on opportunities to purchase foreign and translation rights.”
EPA was founded in 2009 by Shaikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi who has led efforts to advance the publishing industry in the UAE.
